Collins Engineers, Inc.
Collins Engineers is a privately held, family-owned U.S. civil and structural engineering firm founded in 1979, serving state DOTs, transit authorities, ports, municipalities, and federal agencies with bridge, waterfront, transportation, energy, and asset management services across 27 offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Collins Engineers, Inc. does
Collins Engineers, Inc. is a privately held U.S. civil and structural engineering services firm founded in 1979 by Thomas J. Collins in Chicago, Illinois. The firm delivers inspection, design, construction management, load rating, and asset management services across five core practice areas: civil/site engineering, waterfront/marine engineering, transportation engineering, energy facilities, and contractor support services. Its primary customers are state departments of transportation (including ND DOT, MassDOT, CDOT, and VDOT), municipal governments, transit authorities (MBTA), port authorities (Port of Portland), and federal agencies (National Park Service). Collins pioneered the use of engineer-divers for underwater structural evaluation and pairs conventional engineering with field-deployed technology including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drones), underwater 2D and 3D imaging, confined-space and rope-access inspections, and reality modeling.
The firm operates a differentiated technology stack for a firm of its type, including the cloud-based dotMaps GIS platform and the ChiStreetWork public transparency portal deployed for the Chicago Department of Transportation's Project Coordination Office, plus a cloud-based infrastructure asset management platform for transportation, utilities, public works, and facilities operators. Collins is recognized as an Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firm, has 27 offices across the United States organized into Northeast, Southeast, Central, and Western divisions, and has executed engagements such as systemwide bridge inspection for MBTA, inspection of approximately 400 bridges for the North Dakota DOT, and load ratings on more than 70 bridges and culverts for MassDOT. Leadership remains concentrated in the founding Collins family, with Thomas J. Collins as Executive Chairman and Elizabeth M. Collins as President.
Collins generates revenue through project-based professional services fees negotiated under contracts won via RFP/RFQ processes with government agencies and select private clients (developers, industrial operators, waterfront facility owners). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; engagements are scoped on project complexity, labor mix, and duration. Distribution is direct, with no resellers or third-party channels; growth has come from organic office openings (e.g., Denver 2008, Canton MA 2012), the launch of the PCO service in Chicago in 2012, and the acquisition of Civil Squared Engineering. The firm employs 251–500 people and is an active campus recruiter at civil and structural engineering programs nationwide.
Collins Engineers, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Collins Engineers, Inc.
- Legal name
- Collins Engineers, Inc.
- Website
- https://collinsengr.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Collins Engineers is a privately held, family-owned U.S. civil and structural engineering firm founded in 1979, serving state DOTs, transit authorities, ports, municipalities, and federal agencies with bridge, waterfront, transportation, energy, and asset management services across 27 offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Collins Engineers, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Civil and Structural Engineering Services
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (541330), Engineering Services (54133), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Transportation & Traffic Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAC), Geotechnical & Subsurface Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAB), Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)
Keywords
Where Collins Engineers, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices29 records
Markets served
Collins Engineers, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Engineering Consulting Services: Professional engineering services billed on project basis for transportation, marine, civil, energy, and construction support. Revenue generated through project fees, hourly consulting rates, and contract-based engagements with government agencies and commercial clients.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Collins Engineers, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Collins Engineers provides civil and structural engineering consulting services for transportation, waterfront/marine, energy, and construction support projects. The firm offers bridge and roadway design, inspection and load rating, underwater and confined-space inspections using engineer-divers and UAS drones, asset management software, and project coordination office services for public agencies and private clients.
Product overview
Collins Engineers, Inc. is a civil and structural engineering services company founded in 1979, providing engineering services across multiple disciplines rather than a software product company. Their service portfolio includes Civil Engineering, Waterfront Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Energy Facilities Services, Contractor Services, and Asset Management. The Asset Management service is described as a cloud-based software platform that streamlines workflows, cuts costs, and extends asset life. The Project Coordination Office (PCO) service provides urban infrastructure coordination for Chicago, utilizing tools like dotMaps and ChiStreetWork. Services are delivered by engineers who conduct inspections, fly drones, and use technology including 3D modeling for project delivery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Civil Engineering Services
- Waterfront Engineering
- Transportation Engineering
- Energy Facilities Services
- Contractor Services
- Asset Management
- Project Coordination Office (PCO)
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $2.5 billion of construction overseen by leadership
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Collins Engineers, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Collins Engineers, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Collins Engineers, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Collins Engineers, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- WSP USA: One of the largest global engineering consultancies with a major US transportation, bridge, and waterfront practice; competes with Collins on state DOT and municipal bridge inspection and design work, though at significantly larger scale.
- Jacobs Solutions: Global engineering and program management firm with extensive US transportation, water, and federal infrastructure practices; overlaps with Collins on DOT asset management and inspection mandates.
- Stantec: North American engineering consultancy with strong transportation, water, and infrastructure practices; directly competes for state DOT and municipal civil engineering contracts similar to Collins' portfolio.
- AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with a large US transportation and water practice; competes with Collins on large state DOT programs and federal infrastructure work.
- HDR Inc. ENR Top 10 design firm with deep US transportation, water, and bridge expertise; competes with Collins on DOT bridge design, inspection, and program management engagements.
Direct peers
- TranSystems: Mid-sized US engineering consultancy focused on transportation infrastructure, bridges, and rail; closest direct peer in size and DOT-focused service mix to Collins Engineers.
- Michael Baker International: US engineering consulting firm with a transportation, bridge, and water practice; directly comparable in scale, DOT customer base, and bridge inspection/load-rating services to Collins.
- Kimley-Horn: Privately held US planning and engineering consultancy with strong transportation and site civil practices; competes with Collins on state DOT, municipal, and developer-led civil engineering work.
- Modjeski and Masters: Specialty bridge engineering firm with deep expertise in inspection, load rating, and movable bridge design; closely overlaps Collins' transportation and bridge inspection niches.
- Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH): Engineering firm specializing in structural design, investigation, and rehabilitation of buildings, infrastructure, and waterfront structures; comparable to Collins' structural inspection and marine engineering work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Collins Engineers, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceCollins Engineers, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Collins Engineers, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Collins Engineers, Inc. subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Collins Engineers, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Collins Engineers, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Collins Engineers, Inc.
What does Collins Engineers, Inc. do?
Collins Engineers provides civil and structural engineering consulting services for transportation, waterfront/marine, energy, and construction support projects. The firm offers bridge and roadway design, inspection and load rating, underwater and confined-space inspections using engineer-divers and UAS drones, asset management software, and project coordination office services for public agencies and private clients.
Is Collins Engineers, Inc. a public or private company?
Collins Engineers, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Collins Engineers, Inc. founded?
Collins Engineers, Inc. was founded in 1979. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Collins Engineers, Inc. based?
Collins Engineers, Inc. is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Collins Engineers, Inc. make money?
One revenue line is on record: engineering Consulting Services.
Who are Collins Engineers, Inc.'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are WSP USA, Jacobs Solutions, Stantec, AECOM and HDR Inc.. Direct peers are TranSystems, Michael Baker International, Kimley-Horn, Modjeski and Masters and Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH).
Does Collins Engineers, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Collins Engineers, Inc..
What industry is Collins Engineers, Inc. in?
Collins Engineers, Inc.'s product category is Civil and Structural Engineering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAA, Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAHAIAC, Transportation & Traffic Engineering Consulting. Its NAICS code is 541330 and its SIC code is 8711.